The sergeant is a three-time winner of the National Mathematical Olympiad.

Le Duc Chinh confided: "Joining the Army is my dream and also helps to ease the financial burden on my family. I also know that the military environment has unique activities, training individuals comprehensively in both intellect and physical strength, requiring each person to have good health, so I have to try very hard."

From the very beginning of his military service, Le Duc Chinh and his comrades had to endure a high-intensity training environment, both in the classroom and on the training ground, alongside patrol and guard duties, labor, and agricultural production... This was compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic, which the unit was focusing on preventing and controlling. For Le Duc Chinh, these difficulties were opportunities to hone his skills and strive to successfully complete all assigned tasks.

To have more time for studying, Chinh often took advantage of the evenings to review his lessons, while also concentrating intensely on listening to lectures to absorb the knowledge. From the very first subjects, Le Duc Chinh proved himself with high scores, being an energetic and enthusiastic student, frequently participating in class discussions, creating a lively learning atmosphere in the classroom, and regularly guiding extracurricular activities with his teammates, contributing to improving the learning quality of the unit.

Thanks to his effective, proactive, and diligent study methods, Chinh was an excellent student throughout his three years of study, leading the entire class. Besides his studies, Chinh is also a role model of passion and creativity in scientific research. In May 2023, Le Duc Chinh participated in the Science and Technology Innovation Competition organized by the Information Officer School and won second prize with his product "Smart Glasses for the Visually Impaired".

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen The Hung, Political Officer of Battalion 28, assessed: "Comrade Le Duc Chinh is an exemplary student, excelling comprehensively in his studies, training, and unit activities. He is always self-motivated, proactive, and has a progressive spirit, striving to improve himself. He is a shining example for students in the unit to follow."

Efforts to overcome difficulties

Meeting Sergeant Le Duc Chinh at the Emulation Congress for Achieving Victory in the 2019-2024 period of the Information Officer School, he excitedly shared with me the achievements he had made in the past.

"What led you to mathematics and to win so many top prizes?" I asked Le Duc Chinh.

- Since I was little, I've enjoyed studying Physics and Mathematics, but I preferred Physics. As for participating in the Mathematics Olympiad, it happened in my first year of school, thanks to the discovery and encouragement of my platoon leader, who was also a former member of the school's Mathematics Olympiad team and guided me.

What is admirable is that Chinh has always demonstrated a spirit of overcoming difficulties and adversity to achieve his accomplishments. During the preparation for the 2022 Mathematical Olympiad, he contracted Covid-19. Partly due to complying with quarantine regulations to prevent spreading the disease to the entire team, and partly because his health was affected, Chinh had to stop studying to receive treatment. This made Chinh very sad, but he did not lose heart.

Le Duc Chinh recounted: “During my isolation treatment at the infirmary, I took advantage of the time to review my knowledge to keep up with the team's training schedule. Fortunately, I received attentive care from the medical staff at the infirmary, and with the help of my coach and teammates who guided me through online Zoom sessions, I recovered from Covid-19 and continued to participate in training with the team.”

With that outstanding effort, in the 2022 National Student and High School Mathematics Olympiad, Chinh and the Information Officer School team won 8 awards. Among them, Le Duc Chinh excelled, winning first prize and a gold medal in the algebra category. Not stopping there, in 2023, when the National Student and High School Mathematics and Physics Olympiads were held simultaneously, Chinh boldly registered for both subjects, becoming the only student from the Information Officer School to register for both competitions.

To balance his studies, Chinh made the most of every spare moment to review with his teammates.

"When you invest so much in Mathematics and Physics, are you neglecting your specialized military knowledge in information technology?" I asked Le Duc Chinh, expressing my concern.

- I think investing in studying Math and Physics will further strengthen my military knowledge, as it gives me a better foundation and logical thinking skills that I can apply to studying basic and specialized subjects. As proof, I find other subjects much easier to learn. - Chinh answered confidently.

His efforts paid off. At the 2023 National Student and High School Mathematics Olympiad, Le Duc Chinh won third prize in the algebra category. At the 2023 National Student Physics Olympiad, Chinh won third prize in the multiple-choice section and an honorable mention in the problem-solving section. Most recently, at the 30th National Student and High School Mathematics Olympiad held in Da Nang in April 2024, Chinh won first prize in the algebra category for the second time, bringing home a gold medal, enriching the school's achievements and bringing pride and honor to himself and his family.

Having spent considerable time with and guiding Chinh in his studies, Lieutenant Colonel Le Vo Dai, Head of the Mathematics-Physics Department, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Information Officer School, expressed his delight: “Le Duc Chinh has demonstrated aptitude, ability, and a scientific and effective learning method. But above all, his extraordinary effort and perseverance in overcoming the most difficult conditions to complete the assigned tasks is a very valuable quality that I have observed in my student.”

As the 2023-2024 school year drew to a close, Le Duc Chinh received the devastating news that his father had passed away after a long illness. Chinh expressed: “My father’s greatest wish when he was alive was for me to study well so that I could serve in the Army for a long time. I will try my best not to disappoint him. I will strive my hardest in my studies and aspire to become a lecturer so that I can impart knowledge to future generations of students.”